There are numerous pathological and toxic conditions that lead to a degenerative malfunction of the liver. Among these are hepatitis C (one-third of the infected patients evolve to hepatic cirrhosis), chronic hepatitis B and D, autoimmune hepatitis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, sclerosant cholangitis, Wilson's disease, Epstein-Barr virus infection and liver carcinoma.
As regards toxic conditions, the most common and relevant one is the one that occurs due to abuse of alcohol. Other toxic conditions are due to drugs and chemical hepatotoxic agents that may lead to hepatic necrosis, such as the poison of certain mushrooms (for example, Amanita falloides).
In conditions, when a large part of the hepatic parenchyma gets necrotized, the hepatic function decreases and may quickly lead to the death of the patient.
Nowadays there are no special treatments able to solve the hepatic necrosis problem and the patients that suffer from these degenerative diseases have a limited prognosis in relation to the survival time.
Interferons are used to treat several conditions affecting the liver as well as other conditions, including viral infections and other diseases, such as tumors.